Ashtakvarga transforms abstract planetary positions into a concrete numerical score — revealing exactly which houses are strong for each planet, and when transits will deliver their best results based on accumulated bindu points.
✦ Get My Ashtakvarga FreeAshtakvarga is a sophisticated Vedic astrology system for measuring the relative strength of planets across all 12 houses. The word means "eight divisions" (Ashta = 8, Varga = division) — referring to contributions from 7 planets plus the Ascendant, each casting benefic points (Bindus) across the zodiac based on their natal positions. The result is a numerical score for every planet in every house, revealing where each planet is strong (high Bindus) or weak (low Bindus).
The practical genius of Ashtakvarga is transit prediction. When a transiting planet passes through a house where it has high Bindus in its own Ashtakvarga chart, it delivers positive results. When it passes through a house with low Bindus, results tend to be difficult. This gives astrologers a precise numerical method for evaluating any transit — much more specific than house counting alone.
For each of the 7 planets (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn), the Ashtakvarga is calculated by examining contributions from all 7 planets plus the Ascendant (Lagna). Each contributor casts a benefic point (1) or no point (0) to specific houses based on classical rules. Summing all contributions gives each house its Bindu score for that planet.
Sarvashtakvarga combines all 7 planets' individual Ashtakvarga charts into a single total score for each house. Maximum possible = 56 Bindus per house. Houses with 28+ Bindus are strong; houses below 25 tend to underperform. The Sarvashtakvarga total for each house gives a powerful overall reading of that life area's potential in the chart.
Step 1: Note the transiting planet (e.g., Jupiter). Step 2: Look up Jupiter's individual Ashtakvarga chart. Step 3: Find the Bindu score for the house Jupiter is currently transiting (counting from your natal Moon sign or Lagna, as per the tradition you follow). Step 4: High Bindus (5-8) indicate a productive Jupiter transit through that house; low Bindus (1-3) indicate a disappointing transit despite Jupiter being in a theoretically good house position.
This is particularly valuable for Saturn transits. Saturn moves slowly (about 2.5 years per sign), and its Ashtakvarga Bindu score for the transit house reveals whether the transit will be genuinely difficult or merely the general Saturn energy without major damage.